Buchan's Ballads of the North of Scotland, I, 278.
| 1 |
As I gaed down to Collistown,
Some white-fish for to buy, buy,
The cunning clerk he followed me,
And he followed me speedily, ly,
And he followed me speedily. |
| 2 |
Says, Faur ye gaun, my dearest dear?
O faur ye gaun, my dow?
There's naebody comes to my bedside,
And naebody wins to you. |
| 3 |
'Your brother is a gallant square-wright,
A gallant square-wright is he;
Ye'll gar him make a lang ladder,
Wi thirty steps and three. |
| 4 |
'And gar him big a deep, deep creel,
A deep creel and a string,
And ye'll come up to my bedside,
And come bonnily linken in.' |
| 5 |
The auld gudemand and auld gudewife,
To bed they went, to sleep;
But wae mat worth the auld gudewife!
A wink she coudna get. |
| 6 |
'I dreamd a dreary dream this night,
I wish it binna true,
That the rottens had come thro the wa,
And cutted the coverin blue.' |
| 7 |
Then up it raise the auld gudeman,
To see gin it was true;
And he's gane to his daughter dear,
Says, What are ye doing, my dow? |
| 8 |
'What are ye doing, my daughter dear?
What are ye doing, my dow?'
'The prayer book's in my hand, father,
Praying for my auld minnie and you.' |
| 9 |
The auld gudeman and auld gudewife,
To bed they went, to sleep;
But wae mat worth the auld gudewife!
But aye she wakend yet. |
| 10 |
'I dreamd a dreary dream this night,
I wish it binna true,
That the cunning clerk and your ae daughter
Were aneath the coverin blue' |
| 11 |
'O rise yoursell, gudewife,' he says,
'The diel may had you fast!
Atween you and your ae daughter
I canno get ae night's rest.' |
| 12 |
Up then raise the auld gudewife,
To see gin it was true,
And she feel arselins in the creel,
And up the string they drew. |
| 13 |
'Win up, win up, gudeman,' she says,
'Win up and help me now!
For he that ye gae me to last night,
I think he's catchd me now.' |
| 14 |
'Gin Auld Nick he has catchd you now,
I wish he may had you fast;
As for you and your ae daughter,
I never get kindly rest.' |
| 15 |
They howded her, and they showded her,
Till the auld wife gat a fa,
And three ribs o the auld wife's side
Gaed knip-knap ower in twa. |
